Someone I Once Knew
by Moonschylde
Summary: In the years following Voldemort's defeat, Ron Weasley has gone missing. After all hope of his safe return has been abandoned, Hermione meets a mysterious stranger, the lead singer of a famous wizard rock band, who has some strange connections to Ron...
1. Meetings

Author's note and disclaimer: My friend and I came up with this storyline while we were role-playing the other day.  Perhaps it's rather farfetched, but I rather liked it.  It takes place some years after they've (meaning Ron, Hermione, and Harry) all graduated.  I've mostly avoided the issue of what happens regarding Voldemort… "the final confrontation", if you will, because rather than focus on the big picture, I prefer to zero in on personal details.  So assume he's been defeated, blah blah blah.  You'll notice I use a few non-canon characters, like Katharina and Reese, but they don't really get involved with the other characters in a "romantic" way, which is the biggest pet peeve of many fanfic writers and readers.  Unfortunately, I don't own Ron or Hermione or Harry or anyone or anything in the wizard world.  Katharina is my character and Reese belongs to Gel.

Chapter One

The concert was over: the loud guitars, crashing drums, and thunderous applause slowly died down to a low hum and finally silence as the last wailing note wavered in the air.  After a few tense moments, the stage went dark and the breathless audience exploded.  Hermione Granger, not to be swept up in the turmoil, clapped her hands over her ears and shouted to her friend, Katharina, who, of course, was clapping wildly and screaming her pretty blonde head off.  To Hermione, standing right next to her, it seemed that Katharina was making as much noise as the rest of the audience combined.  "Come on!" she yelled to the other girl, dragging her out into the aisle.  "We've got to get backstage!"

The two of them rushed up the stairs at the back end of the stage.  Katharina, who knew The Shades' lead guitarist from their shared days as Hogwarts Ravenclaws, had managed to get her greedy little hands on backstage passes and front row seats. Hermione had never heard of The Shades, but they were Katharina's absolute favorite band.  "I know you'll love them," she had eagerly told Hermione before the concert.  And she'd been right.  Much to Hermione's surprise, she had thoroughly enjoyed the performance, noisy and confusing as it had been.  She'd almost forgotten about what day it was.  February 25th.  She pushed the thought out of her mind.  Enjoy yourself, Hermione!

They managed to get backstage after a few moments of struggling against the surging crowd, where the band was mingling with a few other early fans.  Katharina spotted Reese, her fellow Ravenclaw alumni and newest crush, and grinned hopelessly at Hermione.  "Go, on, go on…" she said, waving at her friend, who rushed off, a broad smile on her face.  "Hello, Reese!" she heard moments later. "How've you BEEN?"

Hermione smiled, shaking her head.  Katharina was so lighthearted, so free.  It was almost as if she hadn't remembered, and Hermione wasn't about to spoil her fun by reminding the other girl.  She leaned against the wall, lost in thought once more.  The mindless sense of fun brought on by the concert had dissipated, and now, she had time to think.

It had been four years ago today that he'd gone missing.  3 years since they'd stopped searching.  All the magical charms and spells and tracking devices in the wizard world hadn't been able to find Ron Weasley after he disappeared.  He was presumed dead, killed by some straggling, vengeful Death Eater, perhaps the same one who'd made attempts on the lives of both Harry and Hermione a few weeks earlier.  Ron's family had been inconsolable.  His little sister still had nightmares.

Hermione sighed and wiped a single tear from her eye.  No use crying about it now; he was gone, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.  If only she'd been more supportive… if only she'd have let him know how she really felt…

"Excuse me- are you… alright?"

            For an instant, despite everything, she thought it was him.  The voice had that same uncertain tone characteristic of Ron all those years.  But it was a little too refined, a little too deep, to truly be her long-lost friend.  She turned around, half-hoping to see the familiar freckled face and red hair.  Instead, her eyes met those of an extremely handsome young man, bronze-skinned, dark-haired, with the bright green eyes she thought she knew from somewhere. Surprised, she took a step back.  But… no, he really wasn't anything like Ron. She was just imagining things because she missed him.

            "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you- I just- you looked like you were crying."

            "Oh- err… just my allergies," she lied, sniffling convincingly.  

            "Ah…" He smiled, but didn't appear as though he truly believed her.  "I know what you mean, though.  Mine've been acting up a bit, lately.  I'm Gryffen, by the way."

            Hermione smiled back, shyly.  "Hermione Granger," she added crisply, after a moment.  Realizing that she'd been staring, she stuttered, "I'm sorry- you just remind me of someone I know- someone I once knew, really."

            Before Gryffen could respond, Reese and Katharina walked by.  Kat was hanging on Reese's arm; he was smiling down at her.  Hermione thought she saw something like recognition flicker over Gryffen's face as he spotted Katharina, but whatever it was, it disappeared as quickly as it came.  "I'm heading out, Gryff," called Reese.  "I'll be back in time for the radio gig."  Kat winked at Hermione as they left, then turned her attention back to the issue at hand- winning over a rockstar.

            "No problem." He turned back to Hermione, whose mouth was now open.

            "Oh, gosh," she said, embarrassed.  "I just realized-"

            Gryffen smiled.  "You're not really a fan, are you?"

            "Oh, no- I mean- I really enjoyed the concert… it's just that I'd never heard of you before tonight."

            "Well, that's something I haven't heard in a while," he answered with a laugh.  "It's kinda refreshing, actually.  I've finally me someone who actually doesn't know who I am and every single detail of my personal life."  There was a momentarily odd look in his eyes, but it also passed quickly.  "Listen, d'you wanna grab a bite to eat?  There's a little café down the street I want to try."

            Flustered, Hermione almost blushed.  "Okay," she managed to say.  Could this impossibly handsome rockstar really be… romantically interested in her, Hermione Granger?  "Yes," she said more firmly, almost answering her unspoken question as much as his verbal one.  "That sounds nice."

Author's note: Well, that's it for this installment. It WILL be continued, of course.  Please, comment!


	2. Confusion

Author's note: This chapter is rather short, but… it sets up the plot a bit more.  Look for Chapter 3 to show up by Friday.

Chapter 2

            After two short dates, Hermione felt as though she'd known Gryffen all her life.  But she still could not shake the feeling that her reminded her so very much of Ron.  His mannerisms, his expressions… She kept telling herself that she was only making herself imagine the similarities, that it was a side effect of the circumstances…

            "Are you alright, Hermione?" he asked, sounding concerned, as they sat at a small window-side table in a sunny little restaurant, Chez Michele.  "You seem… upset."

            "Oh… it's nothing."  She smiled.  "Really."

            He did not appear convinced.  "Please, 'Mione.  You can tell me."

            She smiled at the pet name.  "It's just- you remind me so much of my old friend…"

            "What was his name?" he asked.  "Maybe I know him."

            "Ron Weasley."

            Gryffen's face darkened.

            "What's wrong?" asked Hermione sharply.  "Do you know him? Do-"

            "No," said Gryffen firmly.  "No. Well, I used to," he added thoughtfully.  "I didn't like him one bit, either.  Wasn't he the one who went missing, or something like that?"

            Hermione's voice wavered.  "Yes… four years and 5 days ago, exactly."

            Gryffen looked surprised.  "You miss him a lot, do you?  Well, I dunno how he was with you, but to me, it's an insult to say I remind you of him.  He was such an insecure, untalented nobody…" The same odd look Hermione had noticed just a few days ago clouded his face again, just for a moment.  "He tried out for the band.  Didn't make it, of course," he added with a faint sneer.

            Hermione was completely taken aback.  "I can't believe you'd say that!" She sounded horrified.  "After everything that happened… and he wasn't anything like that at all, anyway! I-"

            "I'm sorry," said Gryffen, bowing his head.  "I don't know what came over me; I shouldn't have said that, not to you, not now, especially. We just- we never got along very well."

            Hermione bit her lip.  "Apology accepted," she said flatly, but the atmosphere seemed tainted now.  She glanced at her wristwatch.  "I really ought to be going.  It's getting late."  She stood up and reached for her purse.  Gryffen rose to his feet as well.

            "Look, Hermione," he said, "don't leave; I said I was sorry…"

            "It's okay, Gryffen.  I just need to think some things over, alright?"  She WAS angry, of course, but there was another angle to this situation that she needed to mull over that had just occurred to her as she stood up.  There was something strange going on here.  As she saw it, there were three possibilities… she just needed to figure out which one was more plausible.  

            "Well, I'll walk you home, then-"

            "No, there's a shop just down the street where I can disapparate.  I'll be fine."

            He sighed.  "Fine.  Can I call you, later?"

            Hermione nodded.  "Yes… later, though."  She turned and walked out of the restaurant.


End file.
